Capitolism

Every Wednesday, Scott Lincicome deciphers and explains how otherwise incomprehensible economic policies affect everyday Americans.

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The Midterm Elections and the Things We Tell Ourselves

Could big spending packages actually have helped the Democrats?

Everyone Hates Our Producerist Economy

But they’re not voting Republican to fix it.

Taking the ‘Free’ Out of ‘Freelance’

A proposed Labor Department rule could harm millions of American workers, for no good policy reason.

My ‘Treason’ Charge and the New Right’s Governance Fantasy

‘Anti-elite’ statists have no plan for Leviathan’s systemic flaws.

Criminalizing Work and Harming (Almost) Everyone in the Process

The many, many downsides of occupational licensing.

The Myth of the Omniscient Authoritarian

Centralized power by an unelected elite tends to create a foolish resistance to change.

Why Shoot the Messenger?

High prices are a sign of a problem, not the problem itself.

The American-Made Boot on Puerto Rico’s Neck

The Jones Act is harmful to the island territory every day, but especially in times of natural disaster.

Politicians for Higher Prices

Lawmakers and bureaucrats want you to pay more for produce and new countertops.

‘Superabundance’ and the Enemies of Exchange

A new book refutes the pervasive economic pessimism in the U.S. and elsewhere.

This Labor Day, Better Policy for All American Workers

Previewing my forthcoming book, Empowering the New American Worker.

Market Optimists’ Uphill Climb

Humans are predisposed to becoming numb to the mind-bending abundance afforded by capitalism.

Against Exclamation Inflation

The continuous distortion of an exclamation point’s value has been found to inflict an emotional toll on correspondents.

… But We Won’t Do That

When politicians have to choose between policy and politics, it’s no contest.

Recession, Schmecession

We’re wasting time fighting about definitions instead of working on solutions.

Checking In on China (and America’s Undeserved Crisis of Confidence)

The pandemic and economic policies that seemed to be fueling China’s rise now seem to be an anchor.